Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-06-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.

are fleeing to the sea shore, or the
mountains, while others who are less
fortunate find temporary relief in
boating and picnicing on the Poto-
mac. In fact, it is the general pic
mic season Of churches, societies,
and Sunday schools, and almost
daily the historic river floats many
crafts bearing hundreds of passen-
gers on pleasure boats.
The episode of the rebel battle
flags has provoked volumns of com
ment in the newspapers of the coun-
try and still continues TO be no ques-
tion but the Presidents action in the
matter was ill-advlsed, and that it
seriously shocked the patriotic and
national sentiment Of the states that
were loyal to the Union during the
Rebellion, more especially those of
them that are faithful to the fortunes
and principle of the Republican
party. 1t is well for the President
and his party that be had the tact to
gracefully acknowledge that, owing
to his hasty action and ignorance of
the law on the subject, he had erred
III approving the order removing the
flags, for once exemplyfying the
adage that "Discretion is the better
part of valor." These faded, latter
cd banners are the trophies Of the
gallant heroes in blue who won them
with their precious blood, and these
relics of war should be sacredly and
tenderly cherished by the great ma
ton that war saved, in that awful
baptism of fire, from the twin curse
of slavery and disunion.
1t would seem from the late report
of the grand jury of the District Of
Columbia that great numbers of the
Government employees are threaten
ed with danger more disastrous than
dismissal from office. Says the re-
port: ave have taken testimony as
to the condition Of the different
government buildings in this city,
and fiud that the treasury depart
ment, interior department and post
office department buildings are in a
very bad sanitary condition, owing
principally to the defective manner
in which the sewers and sewer con-
nections In them are constructed.
From this cauae the health and lives
of those who occupy these buildings
are endangered. If such buildings
are kept in such condition by a
private individual he would be liable
to indictment for maintaining a
nuisance. We recon mend that Con
gress be requested to provide rem
edy for this great evil" The report
pronounces the government printing
office veritable fire-trsp. There
are two wooden stair-wsys, and only
one of them extends above the sec
ond floor, which in case of fire,
would make the danger to life very
great to those on the third and
fourth floors, particularly when you
remember that most of them are
females. Not over three-fourths of
the employees could use the present
fre-escapes.
The colored people of this city
were greatly enthused and gratihed
the other night by President Cleve-
land distributing diplomas to the
graduating class OF their High
School, which was graceful act.
The people of this city and dis
trict have long been restless under
Acknowledgement, feeling quite nat
urally that, as citizens of the United
States, they should have the same
privileges as other citizens of the
states. They have not only beer
denied the right to vote but are also
deprived of "home rule many OF
the most important local offices be
ing filled by non-residents of the
district. There is a committee OF
one hundred whose duty it is to agl
tate these questions, and it is earnest
ly hoped that they will ultimately
accomplish the object desired, al
though the prospect Of securing such
results is not the most flatterlng.